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Time Magazine on “truth”: Today and in 2004

Lately we’ve been hearing a lot about truth. It started with hysteria over “fake news” during the last election season. The “truth” narrative went into overdrive with President Trump’s unexpected (by most) victory.

This isn’t the first time the liberal media have experienced a crisis of confidence over “truth.” When most people look at Time’s [recent] “Is Truth Dead?” cover, they are reminded of the 1960s-era Time cover that it self-consciously copied, “Is God Dead?” But I was reminded of something else–another Time cover story about truth, dating from late 2004:

“Who owns the truth?” was about the Rathergate episode: how we and others exposed 60 Minutes’ attempt to swing the 2004 presidential election to Democrat John Kerry by publishing lies–fake news, one could say–about President George W. Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard.

I remember the Time cover collage very well, because I am in it. The photo in the lower left was taken in the loft of my house. That is Scott Johnson sitting with his back to the camera, and my left foot is barely visible next to the chair to his right.

The liberal media’s current hysteria about “truth” is eerily reminiscent of what we went through in 2004. We even have Scott Pelley, a thoroughly dishonest journalist, extolling the virtues of liberal editors who supposedly keep watch on liberal journalists:More.

Reality check: Let me make it easy for new readers: No progressive believes that there is any such thing as objective truth in principle. There is power, and they will not be in a good mood when they regain it.